Improved self-holding clamp for curtain-fixtures



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F. C. PAYNE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED SELF-HOLDING CLAMP FOR CURTAIN-FIXTURES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,949, dated September 15, 1663 antedated January 18, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F. C. PAYNE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Self-Holding or Clamp Pulley 5 and I do hereby declare that` the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making apart of this specification, inA which- Figure lis a front view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of the same, taken in the line w w, Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a front view of the shell or case of the same, the pulley being removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in placing a conical pulley within a shell or case having an open side or front, and a back surface provided with a groove or recess sufficiently deep to allow the cord to work freely around the smaller part or diameter of the pulley, and a raised surface or bed behind the larger part or diameter of the pulley, which bed will not allow the cord to work around the pulley, the case being also provided at the side which adjoins the larger end of the pulley with a notch or recess to admit of the cord being thrown or adjusted with facility over the larger part or diameter of the pulley iu order that the latter may, when desired, serve as a clamp to hold the cord and the article that may be suspended to it, or which may be attached to the pulley.

The invention may be applied to the rollers of window-shades, or used for suspending birdcages, lamps, Src., and it aifords a ready means for raising and lowering suspended articles, and adjusting them at any desired point.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a shell or case, which may be of cast metal, open at its front end, and having the top and back of its interior of curved form, as shown clearly at a in Fig. 2. The top and back interior of the shell or case has a groove, b, made in it, (shown more partielllarly in Figs. l and 3,) the groove b being about equal in width to half the interior of the case, the other part, c, being, in consequence of the groove b, la raised or projecting surface, and having its lower part extending forward, forming a greater portion of a circle than the groove b, as shown in Fig. 2.

B is a pulley of conical form, which maybe also of cast-metal, and fitted loosely on an axis, d, which passes transversely through the shell or case A. The pulley is allowed to turn or rotate freely on its axis d. It is equal in length to the width of the interior of the shell or case A, and the large end of the pulley is opposite the raised surface c of the interior ofthe shell'or case, the smaller end being opposite the groove b, as shown in Fig. 1. At the side of the shell or case which adjoins the larger end of the pulley B there is a recess, e, which is in line with the upper surface of the pulley, B, as shown in Fig. 1. This recess is sufficiently large to admit of the cord C passing into it, and' the groove b is sufficiently deep to admit of the cord working freely around the smaller part of the pulley. The raised surface c, however, will not admit of the cord working around the pulley, but will cause the same to be clamped between it and the pulley, holding the cord firmly, and the article which is attached to it.

In order to lower an article which may be suspended to the cord C, the operator merely grasps the free end of the latter and throws it off the larger end of the pulley, and consequent] y from between said part of the pulley and the raised surface c of the interior of the case, the cord passing on the smaller part of the pulley, so that the cord may work around it in the groove b. The article of course is raised when the cord is in this same position, and is clamped by throwing it over on the larger part of the pulley, so that it will catch between said part of the pulley and the raised part c of the interior of the shell or case, the end fitting in the recess e. The recess e, it will be perceived, is for the purpose of admitting of a good lateral movement or adjustment of the cord C, so as to insure the cord being properly clamped. This adjustment of the cord may be accomplished with the greatest facility, as the conical form of the roller has a tendency to work the cord over to its larger end.

When the device is constructed with a view to suspending bird-cages, lamps, Snc., the shell vided with a recess, e, at one side, in combination with lthe conical pulley B, placed in the shell or case, and arranged relatively inrespec' to its diameter or larger and smaller ends, with the groove b and raised surface c,

Ito operate as and for the purpose herein set forth.

F. C. PAYNE. Vitnesses:

J AMES LAIRD, TIMOTHY SHINE. 

